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Thread: Rear shock with serious leak

  1. #1
    DeLorean owner since 2011 Stainless's Avatar
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    Rear shock with serious leak

    First shakedown drive after completing all sorts of work on the fuel and cooling systems, and everything went well... until I got home and parked the car in the driveway while I cleaned up the garage, and I found a foot-long puddle under the rear passenger side, near the tire. It was such an odd location to have a leak, but the fluid also smelled unique, almost like hydraulic fluid. It appears to be running down the shock and onto the ground, and based on how much fluid is on the shock, I am assuming that the shock has experienced a sudden failure. Here's a bit more leakage after I pulled it into the garage:
    PXL_20210620_045939270.jpg

    The shocks were purchased and installed by the PO in 2008 from Special T Auto. I have very much enjoyed the ride quality, but since John Hervey passed away, it doesn't look like Special T offers these shocks for sale. The other 3 shocks are still working, so I'm inclined to just replace the one that has failed, but don't know if that's possible to get a close match elsewhere.

    Does anyone recall where Hervey got his shocks from? I don't see any branding on the shocks, except for a Special T sticker. The parts receipt is also vague with the part number being 100110ST and the description being "complete shock kit." If you're interested, this kit went for $249.95 back then.
    Jared L.

    June '81, manual, black inter. VIN 2087
    Other cars: 2012 Toyota Sienna, 2007 Mazda 6, 1999 Jeep Cherokee
    DeLorean blog: http://deloreanblog.blogspot.com/

  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    I would not recommend replacing one shock when they are that old. You don't have to replace all four, but do both rears.

  3. #3
    LS1 DMC Nicholas R's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stainless View Post
    First shakedown drive after completing all sorts of work on the fuel and cooling systems, and everything went well... until I got home and parked the car in the driveway while I cleaned up the garage, and I found a foot-long puddle under the rear passenger side, near the tire. It was such an odd location to have a leak, but the fluid also smelled unique, almost like hydraulic fluid. It appears to be running down the shock and onto the ground, and based on how much fluid is on the shock, I am assuming that the shock has experienced a sudden failure. Here's a bit more leakage after I pulled it into the garage:
    PXL_20210620_045939270.jpg

    The shocks were purchased and installed by the PO in 2008 from Special T Auto. I have very much enjoyed the ride quality, but since John Hervey passed away, it doesn't look like Special T offers these shocks for sale. The other 3 shocks are still working, so I'm inclined to just replace the one that has failed, but don't know if that's possible to get a close match elsewhere.

    Does anyone recall where Hervey got his shocks from? I don't see any branding on the shocks, except for a Special T sticker. The parts receipt is also vague with the part number being 100110ST and the description being "complete shock kit." If you're interested, this kit went for $249.95 back then.
    John often put Special T stickers over original part numbers; try taking the sticker off and maybe you'll find a number underneath. The 100110ST number is almost certainly a number internal to John's business. You know what the ST stands for.

    Regardless, I'd probably replace both rears anyway. The shocks that you're using aren't actually made for the DeLorean, they're just made to work on the DeLorean. This is evident by the fact that the spring cup is sitting on a shaft collar that has been clamped around the shock body. The original Girling shocks had a groove in the body for a special collar to nest into, that also fit inside the spring cup. Now the majority of modern upgrades have a threaded body. Years ago there weren't as many aftermarket options and John was known for his creative thinking to find alternatives, but now options are abundant.

  4. #4
    Senior Member
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    Nothing wrong with the original Girlings. DMC has them for $75 a pair for the rear (yes, for the pair). I put them on due to leakage and have worked well for 4 years. Part no. 100408

  5. #5
    Senior Member DMC-81's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stainless View Post
    First shakedown drive after completing all sorts of work on the fuel and cooling systems, and everything went well... until I got home and parked the car in the driveway while I cleaned up the garage, and I found a foot-long puddle under the rear passenger side, near the tire. It was such an odd location to have a leak, but the fluid also smelled unique, almost like hydraulic fluid. It appears to be running down the shock and onto the ground, and based on how much fluid is on the shock, I am assuming that the shock has experienced a sudden failure. Here's a bit more leakage after I pulled it into the garage:
    PXL_20210620_045939270.jpg

    The shocks were purchased and installed by the PO in 2008 from Special T Auto. I have very much enjoyed the ride quality, but since John Hervey passed away, it doesn't look like Special T offers these shocks for sale. The other 3 shocks are still working, so I'm inclined to just replace the one that has failed, but don't know if that's possible to get a close match elsewhere.

    Does anyone recall where Hervey got his shocks from? I don't see any branding on the shocks, except for a Special T sticker. The parts receipt is also vague with the part number being 100110ST and the description being "complete shock kit." If you're interested, this kit went for $249.95 back then.
    Yes, I have direct experience with them. I bought a KYB set in 2014 from SpecialT/John Hervey complete with the "shock collars" in your picture. After they arrived, they didn't seem like a safe setup, so I researched what these were, and promptly returned them. I had an extended conversation with him to have him agree to the return.

    According to him, after he stopped offering Spax, these sets were cobbled together and sold by John.

    By my measurements, deciphering the ground off part number, and cross-referencing the information on the manufacturer part catalog, (at least for the KYB set) the front was for a Ford van which extended beyond the design limits of the Delorean and therefore would damage your frame when on a lift.

    The rear was for a Ford Mustang and per KYB Technical Support were definitely not designed to have a collar attached and function as a strut (as mentioned by Nick above).

    My educated guess is that the rear shock failed because it wasn't designed to carry the load of the car.

    More here, post #9: http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?14...-drop-with-age

    Based on this, I would definitely recommend immediately removing these 4 shocks and get a proper shock set.

    I chose DMC's performance shock set, but to each their own.
    Last edited by DMC-81; 06-20-2021 at 07:20 PM.
    Dana

    1981 DeLorean DMC-12 (5 Speed, Gas Flap, Black Interior, Windshield Antenna, Dark Gray)
    Restored as "mostly correct, but with flaws corrected". Pictures and comments of my restoration are in the albums section on my profile.
    1985 Chevrolet Corvette, Z51, 4+3 manual
    2006 Dodge Magnum R/T (D/D)
    2010 Camaro SS (Transformers Edition)

  6. #6
    Senior Member Bitsyncmaster's Avatar
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    I had one rear Hervey shock leak also. I replaced the rears with the stock DMCH shocks. Luckily I kept the OEM collars and retainers.
    Dave M vin 03572
    http://dm-eng.weebly.com/

  7. #7
    DeLorean owner since 2011 Stainless's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bitsyncmaster View Post
    I had one rear Hervey shock leak also. I replaced the rears with the stock DMCH shocks. Luckily I kept the OEM collars and retainers.
    I'm leaning towards the economy approach and going back to the stock shocks, but I don't have the original, stock parts, like the split support collar (101205A) or the rear spring platform (101205). The rear spring platform is NLA from DMCH, but is $128.99 per platform from DeLoreanGo. That's a pricey piece of metal, but it still appears to be a solid option as the rear Spax shocks and others are much more than that. Too bad my PO didn't hold onto them.
    Jared L.

    June '81, manual, black inter. VIN 2087
    Other cars: 2012 Toyota Sienna, 2007 Mazda 6, 1999 Jeep Cherokee
    DeLorean blog: http://deloreanblog.blogspot.com/

  8. #8
    DeLorean owner since 2011 Stainless's Avatar
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    After looking at my current setup again, I realized that Hervey's setup must have used the original spring platform, which will save me hundreds by not having to get those. Looks like I just need the shocks and the split support collars and I should be set. Thank goodness!
    PXL_20210620_045947375.jpg
    Jared L.

    June '81, manual, black inter. VIN 2087
    Other cars: 2012 Toyota Sienna, 2007 Mazda 6, 1999 Jeep Cherokee
    DeLorean blog: http://deloreanblog.blogspot.com/

  9. #9
    LS Swapper Josh's Avatar
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    There should be alot of extra split collars sitting around with people upgrading to coilovers. Id ask around someone may just send you theirs.

    Supercharged 5.3L LS4 + Porsche 6spd
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    I am not affiliated with Delorean Midwest in anyway.

  10. #10
    EFI'd dn010's Avatar
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    I would need time to go look and find them but I'm almost 100% certain I have platforms, collars and at least 1 OEM rear shock I can part with.
    -----Dan B.

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